I'm not a Major leaguer but I did know a man that had a profound impact on me: "My career buddy ..." We've known each other since high school. He pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was an All-Star in 1956 and 1958. He was a brilliant marketer and became a major-leaguer.
Friend pitched for Pittsburgh Pirates
My childhood friend was a pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1960s. Friend won three NL Cy Young Awards, and was also named the league's top pitcher four times during his career. He was the first pitcher with a sub-three ERA. Friend also led the NL with strikeouts per walk. In his career, he pitched more than 200 innings six different times. This includes five seasons where he reached 200 innings.
After pitching minor league ball, Bob Friend made his big league debut in 1950. He won three games in that season for the Pirates, and was a key component of their 1960 championship winning team. Friend was a Lafayette, Ind. native who grew up playing sports such as basketball, baseball and golf. He was a star athlete from West Lafayette High School. Before the 1950 season, he signed with Pittsburgh.
Friend was an All-Star from 1956, 1958, and 1960.
Friend was an All-Star in three of the three seasons he played in the National League. He led the league in innings pitched and games started twice. His best year was 1958 when he posted a 22-14 record. He also tied Warren Spahn for first place in league wins. After going 18-12 through the regular season, Friend made the All-Star roster in 1960. He also had a bad record against the New York Yankees, in the World Series.
Robert Bartmess Friend was Friend's grandfather and was born in West Lafayette, Indiana in 1930. He began taking piano lessons as a child and planned to become a concert pianist. He was also a star baseball and football player at West Lafayette High School. He was signed by The Pirates before the 1950 season.
Friend was an All-Star in 1960
Friend had a superb control and was extraordinarily durable. He never had the need to go on a disabled list. His best season was 1958 when he finished 22-14 and tied Warren Spahn in the league lead for wins. He was an All-Star in 1956 and 1957 and again in 1960, when he went 18-12. He pitched poorly in the World Series against the Yankees.
After spending one season in minor leagues, Friend joined in 1951 with the Pirates. The Pirates were seventh in that series. However, Friend was traded for the following season. He went on to be the all-time team leader in innings pitched, strikeouts and games started. In 1963, the first of Pete Roses 4,256 hits was surrendered by Friend. Friend teamed up in 1960 with Bob Cooper (an A-list hurler who played for the Pirates between the 1910s and the 1920s).